Auxiliary Bishop José Antonio Álvarez Sánchez of Madrid has died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 50.
The bishop, who had served in the role for little more than a year, passed away in the early hours of 1 October, leaving one of Europe’s largest dioceses in shock.
Born in the Spanish capital in August 1975, Álvarez devoted his entire priestly ministry to the Archdiocese of Madrid. After studies at the San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University, he was ordained priest in 2000 and undertook pastoral work in parishes and schools before moving into the formation of seminarians. For nearly a decade, he served as a formator at the diocesan seminary, and in 2015 he was appointed rector, a role he held until 2024.
